More on Obama’s mustard preference

Because nothing in the blog world ever really dies until it’s been milked of every erg of usefulness or grim humor, may I humbly present this: The letter that the Grey Poupon people actually sent to President Barack Obama (and copied to me) in response to the teacup tsunami caused…

Eatin’ good in the neighborhood: Jonesy’s EatBar

Stepping through the doors for the first time–into the onetime soda fountain, now brushed and polished and kitted out as a very comfortable and welcoming neighborhood bar, with white-washed tin ceilings and chandeliers–I told myself that no matter what Jonesy’s calls itself or its food, a galley ought to be…

Guess where I’m eating?

For all of you who think I don’t do anything all day, here’s a snap of the aftermath of yesterday’s Cafe Society meeting. Where were we? Post your answer as a comment…

Ask the Critic: Barbecue season, ’09

I hear from a lot of cranky (or just plain pissed off) readers every week.  Some weeks they’re complaining about my reviewing style (“All he talks about is himself!”), some weeks they’ve complaining about my review of someone’s favorite restaurant (“Only an idiot wouldn’t think Root Down was the best…

Guess where I’m eating?

Thanks to the wonders of technology, I’m going to start posting quick snaps from some of the restaurants I visit during the week. Your mission? To guess where I was gorging myself, using nothing more than the clues in the photos. Sorry, no prizes — just bragging rights and another…

First look at the Snooze expansion

Soon the lines will be forming outside of Snooze, the popular breakfast spot in the Ballpark neighborhood. So popular, in fact, that owner Jon Schlegel decided to create a second Snooze.  “I’d say that we’re screening a lot of places right now,” he told me a couple of months ago…

The List: ‘fo schnitzel

I fell in love with Cracovia this week.Then, a few days later, I fell in love all over again with the schnitzel and potato pancakes and green chile at Hospoda. So is it that I’m some kind of restaurant slut, going all head over heels for any joint that catches…

Bistro One to discontinue lunch…for now

This just in from Olav Peterson at Bistro One (1294 South Broadway). Come May 15, Peterson and his crew at the award-winning neighborhood bistro will stop serving lunch. According to Peterson, this is just a temporary thing, something he’s doing for the summer.  And he plans on replacing the vanishing lunches with…

Obama orders Socialist condiment, gets served

Like all good journalists, I get most of my news from Gawker.  Actually, I get most of my news (at least that portion of my news that doesn’t involve the swine flu, robots, UFO sightings or the coming zombie apocalypse) from my wife, Laura, who gets her news from Gawker…

Hospoda: Czech it out!

Okay, so Polish food is excellent, as I discuss in this week’s review of Cracovia. Potatoes, potatoes, potatoes and pork. But you know what’s even better, in a weird way? Eastern European-Colorado fusion. That’s what I had at Hospoda, the place that first-time restaurateurs Vlad and Irene Lesner opened last…

Cracovia is no small potatoes when it comes to Polish food

Bigos. Flaki. Czerwony barszcz, with or without uszka. Kapusniak. Pyzy, placek and kiszka. I’m pretty good with languages, particularly on my favorite conversational topics of food, kitchens and cooks. My pronunciation might be embarrassingly bad, but I can say “please,” ask after individual ingredients, order, appreciate and offer thanks with…

Joe Vostrejs and his army are out to conquer Denver

Spring storms. Swine flu. The complete collapse of the capitalist experiment. Fuck it: Nothing seems to stop Denver’s restaurateurs. They take in stride world events that would have most big-city entrepreneurs, moneymen and chefs hiding under their beds. Sure, their plans may get delayed — but their places still open…

Who wants cupcakes…? Nomelie has them

Just hit Nomelie Cupcakes at 19751 East Main Street in Parker. According to the website, the joint technically closes between 2 and 4 p.m. on weekdays — and maybe I’m just being crazy here, but wouldn’t you think that a cupcake maker (or at least a cupcake maker who actually…

Shead’s BBQ resurrected in Aurora

Good news for all you barbecue fanatics out in the eastern ‘burbs: Shead’s is back in the barbecue game. As reported here a few weeks ago, the former home of Sabo Tropical Grill (and, before that, the plain old Tropical Grill) at 12203 East Iliff Avenue in Aurora (literally ten…

News from the James Beard Awards

This year’s James Beard awards were finalized on Monday, and while most of it is bad for us here in the Flyover States, there are plenty of parties going on elsewhere. Colorado got completely skunked in the journalism awards, with most of the medals going to the usual suspects: Alan…

Dining blind at Cracovia

Bigos. Flaki. Czerwony barszcz, with or without uszka. Kapusniak. Pyzy, placek and kiszka. I’m pretty good with languages, particularly on my favorite conversational topics of food, kitchens and cooks. My pronunciation might be embarrassingly bad, but I can say “please,” ask after individual ingredients, order, appreciate and offer thanks with…

Drinking Goat at the Goat

For the last few weeks, I’ve been searching for Colorado’s best artisan liquor. I’ve searched high and I’ve searched low. I’ve gone to the ends of the earth (or at least to the end of the block) to find those bars brave enough to stock and serve the products of…

Ask The Critic: What does Colorado taste like?

“The United Plates of America.” That’s what Bon Appetit entitled its recent roundup of all the best flavors in our fifty weirdly diverse states, offering this explanation: “Whether it’s a slice of just-baked cherry pie in Michigan, an oyster and bacon sandwich in Louisiana, or a glass of rhubarb and…

Geeks Who Drink: trivia for anti-social critics

Because of the peculiarities of this gig, I’ve crossed paths quite a few times over the past few years with the Geeks Who Drink, an enterprise profiled in this Westword cover story.  Most often, these run-ins have taken the form of me walking in the door of some tap-shack or restaurant, seeing…

The List: Memories of dinners past

In my review of Farro, I talked at great length about the meals that Matt Franklin has cooked for me that I will carry with like baggage throughout my days. I also spoke less specifically about a handful of other dinners (or individual plates) I’ve had that inspired memories that…

Update: Eat the pig!

Earlier this morning I posted some musings on swine flu and eating as many hogs as I could hold.  Mostly, I talked about how business was at The Berkshire — Denver’s most porkerific restaurant — and what the restaurant’s chef, Woodie Thomas, thought about pigs getting a bad rap. Soon…

Eat the pig! Particularly at the Berkshire!

Seriously, people?  You’re getting weird about eating pork now? I understand that all this talk about the swine flu is freaky. I realize that we’re kinda on the edge of a panic now, and that the Centers for Disease Control have just announced that a worldwide pandemic is imminent. I…